Shovel



(No Model.)

W. WRIGHT 81; J. M. BARRETT.

SHOVEL. No. 456,459. Patented July 21, 1891 f/WENTDH:

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22? v ATTORNEYS rinrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YVILLIAM lVRIGl-l'l AND JOHN M. BARRETT, OF \VARRIOR S'JATION, ALABAMA.

SHO VEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 456,459, dated July 21, 1891,-

' Application filed August 26, 1890. Serial No. 363,071- (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM WRIGHT and JOHN M. BARRETT, of Warrior Station,i11 the county of Jeiferson andState of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shovels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved shovel of a class that is employed for the removal of ashes and cinders from stoves and grates, and has for its object to provideasimple, cheap, and convenient utensil,which may be alternately used to sift the unburned or partly-burned coal from the ashes and remove the latter from the ash-pit of a stove or grate.

To these ends ourinvention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, which are hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device adjusted for use as a sifter. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the utensil, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing different adjustments of the handle by full and dotted lines.

The shovel-blade A is an elongated metallic plate having flanges B of equal depth erected on opposite sides, both ends a b being left open, thus producingadouble-end shovel, and to facilitate its use, as well as improve the appearance of the implement, the corners c of the shovel-blade fiangesBare cut rounding on the edges, as shown. The shovelblade A is provided with an ash-sitter in one end portion of its flat bottom. Preferably this sifter is comprised of a series of parallel bars d, which are integrally produced by cutting a corresponding series of slots 6, which are parallel, spaced evenly apart by the bars (Z, and longitudinally extended in parallel planes with the sides B. The slots e are so located that a cross-bar g is allowed to stand between the edge a and forward terminals of the slots, so as to provide strength for the blade and an edge portion to engage the material operated upon with the shovel.

also in Fig. 2-)

On the upper edges of the sides 13, near the longitudinal center of the shovel-blade A, integral lateral wings h are formed,wl1ich latter project in the same plane toward each other and parallel with the flat portion of the shovel blade. At the longitudinal centers of the side flanges B perforations are formed in them at a proper and equal distance from the wings h, which rounded apertures are designed to receive the handle 0. As shown, the handle 0 is preferably made of wire rod, although, it is not desired to limit its construction to such material, as said handle may be forged into form. As represented, the handle 0 is produced by bending a wire strand at its center of length to form a loop 1'. The wire is then closely twisted to provide a handle that is substantial. At 7a the strands composing the handle C are bent outwardly and at m forwardly, so as to produce two parallel limbs '11., which are of equal length, and so separated as to lie closely against the inner surfaces of the side flanges B. Near the terminal ends of the limbs 12, which should be slightly elastic, integral pintles n are formed by outwardlybending these end portions of the limbs, and as the pintles are opposite each other they may be inserted through the sides B, and the handle will be held by their enforced engagement with the perforations in said sides, as before indicated.

Across the space between the limbs n of the handle 0 a brace o is located, which brace is preferably made from a single doubled and twisted strand of wire rod, the folded equal portions of said wire being placed upon one limb, then twisted to tightly embrace said limb and aiford a single twisted body for the brace between the limbs it, and finally twisted to clasp the opposite limb n and secure the joined terminals of the wire from loosening. The ends h of the wings h are out sloping or rounded a proper degree, so that the compression of the limbs 7L toward each other may be eii'ected if the end of the shovel-blade which projects from the limbs is pressed upon a solid base, such as the hearth of a stove.

When the device is used as a sifter, the handle 0 is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1 and by solid lines. The crossbrace o, resting on the edges of the side flanges B, sustains the weight of the ashes and partlyburned coal, the limbs n being locked between the shoulders or ends 71, of the wings h and the cross-brace, the outward spring action of said limbs holding the handle in position. Should it be desired to reverse the ends of the blade A and use the portion Af, that is adapted to lift ashes, the edge a is placed on a solid base and the handle 0 forcibly pressed toward said edge, which will cause the limbs n to impinge on the sloping shoulders or ends h of the wings h, thereby contracting the limbs sufficiently to permit the handle entire to rock on its pintles n and assume the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, which will adjust the device for use as an ash-shovel.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A shovel having an elongated blade which is provided with parallel side flanges, has open ends, and is formed as a sifter in one end portion, and a pivoted spring-limbed handle which is adapted to rock longitudinally of the blade and removably lock above either end of the blade, substantially as set forth.

2. In a shovel, the combination, with an elongated blade which is provided with side flanges that are parallel and at right angles to the surface of the blade, said blade having open ends, and a sifter in one end portion, of wings on the side flanges that project toward each other, and a handle having two springlimbs, the pintle ends of which engage perforations in the side flanges of the blade and which is adapted to rock on the blade and lock removably at an incline above either end of the blade, substantially as set forth.

3. In a shovel, the combination, with an elongated blade that is slotted to form a sifter in one end portion and is provided with side flanges whereon integral lateral wings are formed and projected toward each other in the same plane, the flanges being perforated near the longitudinal centers of the wings, of a handle having two parallel spring-limbs at one end,which are furnished with pintles that engage the perforations in the side flanges,

and a transverse brace secured on the handie-limbs, which will bear on the edges of the side flanges when the handle is rocked to lie at an incline above either end of the shovelblade, substantially as set forth.

VILLIAM \VRIGHT. JOHN M. BARRETT.

Vitnesses:

WILFoRD HANSON, LORENZO D. VAUGHN. 

